Maharashtra state chief minister Eknath Shinde said the people of the state will not tolerate any insult directed at the Hindutva idealogue. Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his comments on freedom fighter VD Savarkar.
Speaking at a symposium on Hindutva held at Savarkar Memorial here, Shinde, in an apparent reference to his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, said while the freedom fighter, a revered figure in Maharashtra, was insulted, there were those who took a soft stand on the issue.
At the same event, Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale, who is affiliated to the Shiv Sena (Balasaheb), the faction led by Shinde, demanded that the Bharat Jodo Yatra be stopped in the state for insulting the late freedom fighter.
The people of the state will not tolerate insult of Savarkar under any circumstances,” Shinde warned at the symposium, organised on the eve of the 10th death anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.
The CM along with MLAs and MPs of his faction later visited the memorial of the Sena founder at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, which is located close to Savarkar Memorial.
Savarkar is frequently insulted (he is addressed as) Mafiveer (by his critics for his mercy petitions). We are seeing that a soft stand is being taken against them (those who insult Savarkar), Shinde said in an apparent reference to Uddhav Thackeray, who is an ally of the Congress.